ഇനി എത്ര ദൂരം

 

 

A War We Half Feel

 

Sometimes war feels strange. Not for people who are fighting in it.. For us, who are watching from far far away.

We wake up check our phones and see news about problems between Iran and Israel and troubles in the Gulf region. There are pictures, videos and every kinds of  updates all the time. We pause for a moment—maybe feel a little worried, maybe even shocked .Then… we move on. We go to class, work talk to friends. Life goes on as usual.

This is the truth. War is very real for some people. Its far away for many of us.

For people living in these areas life is a struggle every day. Every day is a fight to survive with a lot of anxiety and uncertainty. Simple things like going to work sending kids to school or sleeping well at night become challenges. Sirens are always sounding in the background. The fear of being attacked is always there. It's hard to imagine. For them this is just normal life now. They can't even remember what it's like to live without fear to feel safe and secure. Every moment is a reminder that their lives aren’t their own that they're at the mercy of things they can't control. The loss of a life is a heavy burden to carry and its one that they bear every single day.

For us war often becomes just a moment. A headline we read and then forget.

It's not that we don't care. We do.. Our connection to it is limited. Our lives aren't directly in danger. Our emotions fade quickly. The world keeps giving us information and our attention keeps shifting.

In a different way the effects of this war can still be felt by us even if we're not directly involved.

We start to notice changes. Fuel prices go up. Petrol and diesel become more expensive. Cooking gas supply has reduced. Slowly the cost of living goes up. Transportation becomes costlier. So do basic things like food and daily essentials. What feels like a conflict quietly affects our everyday life.

There are also effects. Many people from countries like India work in Gulf nations. During times like these their safety, jobs and income become uncertain. Families home start to worry. Even the economy can feel the pressure in real ways.

Still for us these are effects. Not the experience itself.

For people living through war it is their life. For us it is a passing concern.

Maybe the least we can do is not forget quickly. To pause a little longer. To think of the people behind the news. Not, as numbers. As lives interrupted.

War isn't something that happens in a far-off place. Its happening to people with real lives and real stories.. Even if we don't always realize it the effects of war can reach us too in ways that are often easy to miss.

Jushaini. P.

Assistant Professor of English

Al Shifa College of Arts and Science, Keezhattur, Perinthalmanna